WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The Keiser volleyball team split its Thursday doubleheader inside the Student Life Center, dropping the morning match to Mobile in straight sets before bouncing back with a sweep over Florida National in the afternoon. The Seahawks now sit at 3-3 on the season.
The opener against Mobile was tightly contested from start to finish, with each set decided by six points or fewer. Keiser hung around in the first two frames but struggled to close out rallies, falling 25-22, 25-21, 25-19. The Seahawks totaled 31 kills while hitting .109, while Mobile finished with 44 kills and a .192 attack percentage to provide the difference.
Cece Worsham led the way for Keiser with six kills and a team-high five blocks, pairing with Aubree Valcourt, who also posted six total blocks. Their presence at the net slowed down Mobile at times, but the Rams found consistent offense from multiple hitters. Setter Mallory Dills directed the attack with 27 assists and chipped in a service ace and four digs. In the back row, libero Faith Marquis recorded 17 digs and also added an ace, while Paryss Betts contributed 13 digs. Makenzi Bennett turned in an all-around effort with five kills, 11 digs, and a block, while Isabella Steffel and Emma Friese added four and three kills, respectively.
Keiser had to turn the page quickly for its second match of the day, and the Seahawks responded convincingly with a 25-22, 25-21, 25-22 victory over Florida National. Unlike the morning matchup, Keiser's offense found its rhythm early and sustained it throughout, finishing with 45 kills on a .200 hitting percentage while holding FNU to a .108 mark.
Cece Worsham was the spark plug in the win, recording a team-high 12 kills on .250 hitting and adding 13 digs recording a double-double. Steffel provided another reliable option with eight kills and two blocks, while Friese came off the bench to make an immediate impact with six kills and two blocks of her own. Valcourt chipped in four kills and two blocks to round out a balanced front-line effort.
Dills once again served as the steady hand for the offense, dishing out 38 assists while contributing seven digs and a block. Marquis anchored the defense with 15 digs, and Betts added eight digs to help keep the Conquistadors' attack in check. Keiser's serving also proved effective, with Bennett, Faith Marquis, and Betts each recording aces at key moments to keep pressure on FNU.
The first set saw Keiser pull ahead late behind Bennett and Worsham, who combined for five of the team's final seven points. In the second frame, Steffel and Friese provided timely kills to help the Seahawks withstand a mid-set push by FNU. The third set was a back-and-forth battle, but Dills' setting spread the offense efficiently, and a pair of kills from Worsham and a late ace from Bennett closed out the sweep.
The Seahawks will continue action tomorrow starting at 11:00 AM in the Student Life Center.
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